Saddle mount



Aug. 4, 1953 D. METTETAL, JR

SADDLE MOUNT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 20, 1949 may.

fawa/al W,Mw WW I I I 5 Aug. 4, 1953 D. METTETAL, JR 2,647,760

SADDLE MOUNT Filed July 20, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 4, 1953 SADDLE MOUNT 7 Donald Mettet'al; Jr., Chicago, 111., assignor to Truck of Illinois Service, Inc., Chicago; 111., a. corporation Application -1111x 20, 1949,.Seri'a1 Not105,690

3 Claims." (Cl. 280 33.05)

This inven ion is concerned with improvements in a saddle mount for u e in s pporting one end of a wh ed vehicl on the fra e or bodyp rti n of another wheeled vehicle so that the former may be conveniently hauled or towed. by the latter. l I

It is. an 'ubiectof the inventi n o provide a Saddle, mount or connecting device for attachmerit to 'tho trailing end, of; a wheeled vehicle, such as an au o truck, for supporting. thereon elevated, position. one end; of. another vehicle -movement ofthe. same. relative; to: the towing vehicle and thereby minimize thestress applied toutheiframe of either vehicle.

It is a more specific; object of the'invention to provide a saddle mount I for the purpose described which comprises a length of" tubular material adapted tobe detachably secured at opposite ends tothe side frame members of the towing vehicle, a saddle'member having depending legs; arranged-with thelegsthereof straddling the tubular member and pivoted. theretofor swinging movement about an axis extending transversely; of thesame and a bracket member adapted to be secured at its outer ends to the under frame oifithetowed. vehicle and pivotally connected to the saddle member above the tubular. member forswmsing; mcvementaboutanaxis extending longitudinally of the same.

It is another object of the invention to provide a saddle mount for the purpose describedwhich comprises: an elongated hollow: supporting member adapted to be secured at 'its cnds tot-theside frame members of the towing vehicle; an invetted U shapedsaddle member pivotally connected at the ends of its legs to the sides of the transversely extending supporting member and in straddling relation to the same, an elongate bracket pivotally connected to the saddle member for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely of the same, and connector plates pivotally mounted at the opposite ends of the bracket and adapted to be secured to the under carriage of the towed vehicle.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the device 2 which is shown by way of illustration in accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation showing two vehicles connected by av saddle mount which incorporates therein the principles of the invention; the vehicles shown schematically;

Fig. 2 is an elevation to an enlarged scale of the saddle mount, the view being taken generally on the line indicated at 2-2inFig'. 1 and portions being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken generally on the line 3-3' of-Fig: 2; and

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the saddle mount.

Referringto the drawings; there isill'ust'rat'ed a. saddle mount [0 which incorporates the principles of the inventionand which is adapted for supporting either end of an automobile or truck I I which isbeing towed by another similar vehicle IZ.

The saddle mount I0 comprises an elongate tube section I3 which ispreferably-closed atflthe one end [4 and provided at the other end'with a cap or cover member l5" which isshinged'at" f6 and provided with a locking device IT. The cover member It. may be opened as. indicated in dDtted'lines Fig. 2. Loose parts may be car'- ried'in the tube section 13' when desired. The tube section 13 is provided at its opposite: ends with laterally extending. base plates [3 which are secured, thereto by welding or other fastening means. and. which. may, have one or more. rein.- forcing. orv bracing ribs'or webs 1'9; The base plates. l8, are providedwith. elongate apertures 20 adapted. to receive headedfastening bolts 2.| secured by means oi plates 22 beneath the side the frantic.members...23 of the. towing vehicle L2; in

some types of vehicles the bolts 2 i. may besecured directly to a cross bar on the frame.

A. saddle member 2L of; generally U -shaped section isarranged in inverted relation withthe legs. 25-. thereofdepending. on opposite sides of the. tube. is Across pivot, bolt; Zitisjournaled inahslecve; 21=- supported lay-and secured. toidespending brackets; 28 which are in: turn. secured by welding or the like at 29 to the tube member l3. The cross sleeve 21 extends through apertures 30 and 3| provided in the ends of the depending legs 25 and brackets 28, respectively, and is fastened relative to the brackets 28. The bight or base portion 32 of the saddle member 24 is spaced some distance above the top edge of the tube l3 and has a limited swinging movement about the pivot sleeve in a direction longitudinally of the tube [3. The base 32 of the saddle 24 is apertured at 33 for receiving in secured relation therein a vertically extending pivot sleeve 34 and a pivot bolt 35. The sleeve 34 extends through an aperture 36 in the base 31 of a bracket 38 which extends in the same general direction as the tube section l3. Washers 39 and 49 are provided at opposite ends of the sleeve 34.

The bracket 38 is generally elongate but of less length than the supporting tube section I3. At each of its outer ends the bracket 38 is provided with a pair of spaced upstanding inner and outer journal forming members 4| and 42 which are apertured to receive the pivot bolts 43 extending longitudinally of the bracket 38. The pivot bolts 43 support bracket or shoe members 44 each of which has a pair of depending spaced legs 45 and 46. Legs 45 and 46 are apertured and received on the pivot bolt 43. The brackets 44 are apertured to receive vertically extending bolts 41 for securing the same to a cross channel member 48 which may be part of the undercarriage or bottom frame of the towed vehicle I] or which may be secured at the ends by bolts 49 and plates 50 to the side frame members 5| of the same.

In securing the vehicles II and I2 together with the saddle mount 19 the front wheel structure of towed vehicle H may be removed if it interferes with the operation. Supported by means of the saddle mount In on the trailing end of the towing vehicle l2, the vehicle H is hauled on the wheels at the other end of the same. Any unevenness in the surface over which the vehicles pass when they are in connected relation is compensated for by movement of the pivoted members which constitute the saddle mount Hi. It is possible for the towed vehicle II to tilt in both vertical and transverse directions relative to the towing vehicle [2 without impartin any twisting forces to the frame of either vehicle. This prevents any tendency to loosen the vehicle frame structures while they are in transit.

In the arrangement illustrated, the front or cab end of the towed vehicle II is connected by means of the saddle mount it] with the towing vehicle l2. The towed vehicle I I may be reversed and have the rear end supported on the towing vehicle [2. When so arranged the front wheels of towed vehicle H must be locked against turning movement so that the two vehicles are operated as a unit by the driver of the towing vehicle.

While specific details of construction have been shown for the purpose of illustration, it will be understood that other details of construction may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A saddle mount for supporting in elevated position one end of a towed vehicle on the rear end of a towing vehicle, said saddle mount comprising transversely extending elongate members, means for securing one of said elongate members to the side frame members of each vehicle, depending plate members secured to the sides of the lower one of said elongate members, a pivot member secured in said plate members and extending transversely of said elongate member, an inverted U-shaped member having its legs journaled on said pivot member, a pair of laterally spaced brackets. secured to the upper one of: said elongate members, and a U-shaped member having its upstanding legs pivotally connected to said pair of brackets, said U-shaped members having the bight portions thereof in juxtaposed relation and a pivot member connecting said bight portions.

2. A saddle mount for supporting in elevated position one end. of a towed vehicle on the rear end of a towing vehicle, said saddle mount comprising transversely extending elongate frame -members, means for securing one of said elongate frame members to the longitudinally extending side frame members of each of the vehicles, hanger members secured in depending spaced relation on the lower one of said elongate members, an inverted U-shaped member having its legs straddling the lower one of said elongate members and pivotally connected to said depending hanger members, a pair of laterally spaced brackets secured in depending relation on the upper one of said elongate members, and a second U-shaped member having its legs upstanding and pivotally connected to said pair of depending brackets, said U-shaped members having the bight portions thereof in juxtaposed relation and pivotally secured to each other.

3. A saddle mount for supporting in elevated position one end of a towedvehicle on the rear end of a towing vehicle, said saddle mount comprisin a pair of transversely extending elongate members, one of said members being of channel-shaped section and the other of said members being a hollow tube, means for securing the ends of each of said elongate members to the frame members of one of the vehicles, hanger members secured to opposite sides of the lower one of said elongate members, a pivot member extending between said hanger members in the longitudinal direction of the vehicles, a U-shaped member having its legs journaled on said pivot member and its bight portion above said elongate member, and a second U-shaped member having its legs extending upwardly and pivotally connected at laterally spaced points to the other one of said elongate members, the bight portions of said U-shaped'members being in juxtaposed relation and connected by a pivot member.

.DONALD METTETAL, JR.

' References Cited ,in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS COX' Feb. 13, 1951 

